Jerwin Ancajas looking for ‘real test’ as Juan Estrada fight looms

Jerwin Ancajas of the Philippines gestures to fans after defeating Ryuichi Funai of Japan in their 12-round Super Flyweight IBF World Title fight in Stockton, California on May 4, 2019.  (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP)

Jerwin Ancajas is due to make his eighth title defense in October in a fight that, once hurdled, would inevitably lead him to a super flyweight showdown with hard-hitting Mexican Juan Estrada early next year.

Ancajas had been eyeing Estrada for quite some time now and Sean Gibbons, US matchmaker and manager, believes the long-awaited super flyweight clash would finally happen in either February or March next year.

But Ancajas can’t afford to let his guard down and look too far ahead with a stiff test coming his way before the potential bout with Estrada, who is the reigning WBC champion.

“Right now, we’re looking for a really good opponent, someone solid, someone that would really test him because we told Top Rank the fight that we want after October is Juan Estrada,” Gibbons said Tuesday during the PSA Forum.

“We wanna fight for the WBC title. We wanna fight the number one guy in the division. He wants a real test,” he added.

But nothing is guaranteed yet with Estrada (39-3, 26 KOs) also scheduled for a title defense later this month against Dewayne Beamon in Mexico.